Vegetable-washing machine



June 21,1927.'

C. C. DANIELS vEG'ETABLE WASHING MACHINE Filed Jan. 26, 1926 5 Sheets-5h66*l 1 atroz wu;

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Patented June 21, 1927.

UNITED STATES lranas? PATENT OFFICE.

CECIL C. DANIELS, OF WESLACO, TEXAS, ASSIGNOR OF* ONE-FOURTH TO F. W. `STEPHIEINS AND ONE-FOURTH TO LUTHER HUGHES, BOTH OF' WESLACO, TEXAS. Y

i VEGETABLE-WASHING MACHINE.

Appncation mea January 26, 1926. serial Ng. 83,926.

My invention relates to machines for cleaning vegetables and particularly adapted and intended to free roots such as beets, turnips, potatoes or other roots from the dirt which clings to them when dug or .pulled from the ground.

My invention has for its object to provide a machine for the purpose stated which will be inexpensive in construction and operation Vandv will effectively free the roots or other vegetables or other articles from adherent dirt without bruising or injuring them. A further object of the invention is to provide a machine which will operate upon vegetables either singly or in bunches to free them from vadherent dirt.

With the object above set forth, and otherl Yobjects hereinafter explained, in view, my invention consists in the construction and combination of elements hereinafter described and claimed.

AReferring to the drawings `Figure 1 is a side view .of a machine einbodying my invention. Y

Figure 2 is a vertical, central, sectional View on line 2 2 of Figure 3.

Figure 3 is a cross sectional view on line 3 3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 isa perspective view of one of the drums, and Figure 5 is a bottom plan view of the mud outlet.

` In the drawings, 1, 2, 3,14, and 5 indica-te liprights arranged in pairs, the uprights of each pair being connected together at their upper ends by cross bars 6, 7, 8, .9, and 10, and at their lower ends by Across bars 11, 12, 13, 14, and 15. The uprights are connected at their upper ends by longitudinalfstrips 19 and 20, which rest on the cross-bars 11, 12, 13, 14, and 15, .these longitudinal strips 19 and'20 extending also rearward from cross bar 11 to rest at their ends on cross bar 21.

Short vuprightsv 22, secured Vto cross bar, 21 and to the ylongitudinal strips 19 and 2,0, extend upward from the rear ends of strips 19 and 20. j

About .midway between the upper v and 'lower ends of the uprights 1, 2, 3 4, and 5,

are longitudinal strips 23 and 24 secured vto these uprights and extending rearward toY the upper ends of lthe short .uprights 22.

Cross bars 25, 26, 27, and`28,farra,ng ed in 4pairs one on each side of one of the uprights,

,1, 2, 3, and 4 and a single cross bar 29 ony `water directly `onto the drum belowit. low the liney of the drums and in line with the rear side of upright, are secured at their ends to thelongitudinal strips 423 and 24. T here is rthus formed a rigid framekfor the machine.

To the uprights 22, 1, 2, 3, 4, andv 5 are secured at suitable distances above the longitudinal strips 19 and 20, crossy bars 30, 31, 32, 33, and 34, these being so arranged as to support the inclined bottoni, 35, of a water tank,36; the sides of which rest against the inner edges of the uprights, 1,2, 3, and 4, with its ends against the uprights 22 and 5. Secured to the inner faces of the uprights 1, 2, 3, 4, land5 arelongitudinal boards 37 Y and 38, iny which are journalled a series of j 42, on shaft 43,'whic'h also carries a pulley,l

44, which is driven by a belt 45 from any convenient source of power.

On each side of the shafts 39, between thev longitudinal boards 37fand 38, is carried a druin of wire netting 46, supported on discs 47, the netting being of relatively coarse mesh so as to :permit sand and dirt to pass freely vthrough it.

The shafts 39 are sospaced'apart that these will be between the periphery of each drum and the next adjacent drum af substantial space -not sufficient, however, to permit the articles being washed from falling through between the drums. y

' Above `each drum andpreferably parallel withy its 'sliaftfis a water supply pipe 4S, perforated as indicated at 49, to dischalige the space between them arewaterpipes 50, perforated on their upper faces so as to discharge streams of4 water upward into the spaces between adjacent drums.

The perforated water pipes 48, are connected ,at one end with a supply pipe 5,1,

` to the tank 36 at its lower yend'.

In the tank near the .upright 1 vis arranged a partition ,56, Lextending up from the tank bottom nearly, but not quite, to the top and yllt) itl in the portion of the tank to the rear oit the upright l are arranged vertical screens 57,

58, and 59,'eXtending from the tank bottom to thel level of its top.v

At a point in its bottom Anear the partition 56, the tank 36 is provided with an outlet opening 60 of large diameter for the earthy matter which is washed olif `trom the roots and sinks to the bottom of the tank. This outlet opening is normally closed by a valve 6l, sliding insuitable ways 62, and provided with any convenient means such as handle 63, ior operating it when necessary. 64 indicates end of a pipe for supplying water to the tank.

65 indicates a conve-yer belt carried on rolls 66, on shafts 67, journalled in side strips 68, extending, preferably at a slight inclination to the horizontal, from the front end of the machine. This conveyer belt vserves to carry the roots or other articles on to the drums 46.

At the discharge end of the machine over the portion ot' the tank which extends rearward from the uprights l. is arranged a conveyer belt 70, for carrying the cleaned roots or other articles away 'from the drums 46. This'conveyor belt is carried on rollers 7l, on shafts 72, journalled in sidestrips 73,

- extending rearward from the uprights l and preferably inclined downward. K

The number ot drums 46, may be varied as desired and the conveyers which deliver the vegetables to, and carry them away from the-drums, may be of any convenient construction.

In operation the roots or other vegetables, or other articles to be freed from.l adherent dirt are deposited on the conveyer at the front ot' the machine and are carried upward and deposited upon the vlirst of the series ot' drums 46. As these are all rotated in the saine direct-ion the vegetables will be carried ove-r by each drum and deposited upon the next, drum with a slight'impact which tends to loosen the adherent dirt. As the vegetables are carried over each drum it is subjected vto the washing action of the jets yfrom the perforations in pipes 48, and as the vegetables are passing from one drinn to another they are subjected to the washing action v.of the upwardly directed jets from the pipes 50. Dirt which falls or is washed off from the vegetables falls with the streams of water from the perforated pipes tl'irough the meshes of the drums or through the spaces between adjacent drums, into the tank and settles toward the bottom of the tank. As the vwater in the tank reaches the level of the upper edge of the partition 56. it willoveriiow and pass into the .part of the tank which is to the rear of the uprights V1. The water overflowing the top of the partition will be fairly clear from the heavier particles of dirt but may carry with I claim is it bits of leaf or dry vegetable material. Jiny such bits of floating materialfwill be caughtby the screens 57, 58, and 59,'and practically clear -water will be drawnvby the inlet pipe 55 to be forced by the pump 54 through pipes 53 and 5l and 52, to the perforated pipesV 48 and' 50.

As the cleaned vegetables leave the last oneA of the drums 46, they Vwill be carried away by the conveyer belt- 70, to be packed tor shipment either with or withoutv preliminary drying.

The drums carry the vegetables forward and at the same time subject them to agitation sufficient to dislodge the dirt'softened by the streams of water from the perforated pipes. And the drums being formed of netting, permit the particles of dirt so dislodged to be washed through them or between them by the streams of water from the perforated pipes. It will be understood that the pump 54 will be run at such speed as to cause the water to be driven from theperforations of thev pipes 48 andv 50 with considerable, force. The drums 46 may be of any diameter desired and may be spaced apart desired distance but they 'are preferably made ot a diameter ol siX inches `and are so spacedapart as to leave a spaceoi about a halt inch between the peripheries of adjacent f drums..

'ihe speed ot rotation given to the drums should be such as to givethe vegetables substantial tumblingor agitation asthe are carried forward, without' such Vmolence as would bruise or break 'the exterior surface.

lVhile the drums 46, 'are preferably, formed of wire netting as described, they mayv be terial having openingsthrough it adapted to permit tree passage of the-water and the dirt 'dislodged trom the vegetables.

Having thus described my invention, what V1. In a machine for cleaning vegetables, a series oi' cylindrical drums formed ot' wire netting, having their aXes parallel and in the same horizontal plane, and so arranged as to leave a substantial space between the peripheries of adjacent drums, means for CTR ' forn'ied of any sheet rmetal or other sheet inarotatingthe drums, and means [for forcing water upward between the peripheries of adjacent drums.'V j j n 2. In machine for cleaning vegetables, a series of cylindrical drums formed `o'frwire netting, having their axes parallel andin Vthe saine horizontal plane, and-soarranged vas to leave a substantial space between the peripheries of adjacent drums, means for rotating thek drums, means :tor supplying water to the drums from above, and means for :forcing water upward between the peripheries of adjacent drums.

3. In a machine fior cleaning vegetables,

a seriesoll cylindrical ldrums formedV of wire netting, having their axes parallel and in the same horizontal plane, and lso arranged as to leave a substantial space between the pe.- ripheries of adjacent drums, means for rotating the drums, a perforated pipe arranged above each drum for supplying water thereto from above, a perforated pipe below 'and in line with the space between adjacent drums for forcing water upward between them.

t. In a machine for cleaning vegetables, a series of cylindrical drums formed of wire -netting, having their axes parallel and in the same horizontal plane, and so arranged as to leave a substantial space betweenr the peripheries of adjacent drums, means for rotating` drums, means for supplying water to drums from above, means for forcing water upward between the peripheries of adjacent drums, a tank below the drums to receive the water from them, having its bottom inclined rearward, a pump for drawing water from the tank and supplying it to the drums and a partition between the body of the tank and the inlet terminating` below the top of the tank.

5. ln a machine for cleaning vegetables, a series of cylindrical drums formed of wire netting, having their aXes parallel and in the same horizontal plane, and so arranged as to leave a substantial space between the peripheries of adjacent drums, means for rotatingdrums, means for supplyingwater to the drums from above, means for forcing water upward between the peripheries of adjacent drums, a tank below the drums to receive the water from them, having its iottoni inclined rearward, a pump for drawing water from the tank and supplying it to the drums, a partition between the body of the tank and the inlet terminating below the top of the tank and screens between the partition and the inlet for the pump.

6. In a machine for cleaning vegetables, a series of cylindrical drums formed of wire netting, having their axes parallel and in the same horizontal plane, and so arranged as to leave a substantial space between the peripheries of adjacent drums, means for rotating drums, means for supplying water to the drums from above, means for forcing water 'upward between the peripheries of adjacent drums, a tank below the drums to receive the water fromthem, having its bottom inclined rearward, a pump for drawing water from the tank and supplying it to the drums, a partition between the body of the tank and the inlet terminating below the top of the tank, and a valve controlled outlet in the body of the tank near the partition.

7. Ina machine for cleaning vegetables, a series of cylindrical drums formed of wire netting, having their axes parallel and in the same horizontal plane, and so arranged as to leave a substantial space between the peripheries of adjacent drums, means for rotating drums, means for supplying water to the drums from above, means for forcing water upward between the peripheries of adjacent drums, a tank below the drums to receive the water from them, having its bottom inclined rearward, a pump for drawing the water from the tank and supplying it to the drums, a partition between the body of the tank and the inlet terminating below the top of the tank; screens between the partition and the inlet for the pump and a valve controlled outlet in the body of the tank near the partition. Y

In testimony whereof, I hereunto affix my signature.

CECIL C. DANIELS. 

